In the marketing of paint it is desirable to provide paint chips to prospective paint customers demonstrating different colors and surface finishes corresponding to the effects obtained by using the different colors and types of paint being marketed. Such paint chips can typically be characterized as small pieces of heavy paper or cardboard having a finish on a front surface corresponding to at least one paint and color intended to be represented thereby. Display of such paint chips typically involves the use of suitable stands or display devices permitting a prospective paint customer to select one or more paint chips representative of the paint and color he wishes to purchase.
It is desirable to display such paint chips in close proximity to each other, in a stacked manner, to allow a prospective paint purchaser to concurrently compare various colors and finishes of the varying paints, while simultaneously being able to remove a paint chip revealing another paint chip representative of the same paint and color as represented by the removed paint chip.
One such device can be seen in the Crosslen patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,038). The Crosslen device has disadvantages in common with other typical paint chip display devices.
One main disadvantage of typical paint chip display devices such as Crosslen lies in the inability to either configure the display to allow for exhibition of the full face of each stack of paint chips displayed therein, or to allow for an overlapping configuration to decrease the required area for the display. It is desirable to display the greatest portion of the front face of each paint chip stack as is possible, given the structural limitations of the display area. Typical devices, such as Crosslen, obscure significant portions of each paint chip stack in a way such that they are not readily viewable by a prospective paint customer, and do not give the displayor the option of displaying the entire front face of each paint chip if so desired.
Another main disadvantage of typical paint chip display devices lies in the positioning of the paint chips within the display itself. Typical devices, such as that disclosed in Crosslen, fail to adequately protect paint chips contained therein, as a portion of each paint chip typically protrudes beyond the confines of the device. Accordingly, display devices such as this allow paint chips to warp or disform with time. Further, display devices of this kind often allow paint chips displayed therein to sag within the device, thus also causing them to warp or disform. This warping of the paint chips is highly disadvantageous in the sale of paints, and may require the frequent replacement of otherwise unused paint chips.
Furthermore, the relative angle at which paint chips are stored within a typical display device, such as Crosslen, with regard to a prospective paint purchaser, is typically not conducive to allowing a prospective paint customer to easily and accurately judge the color and finish of a selected paint chip, as the faces of the paint chips are often angled downward, or toward the floor.
A further known disadvantage of typical paint chip displays is the relatively high cost and difficulty of assembly of the display itself, as a typical display includes extensive cabinetry requiring a relatively large amount of floor space. Additionally, such devices are heavy presenting storage and shipping problems. Also, such devices are typically limited in their ability to be modified to represent additional or fewer paint colors.
Disadvantages of other typical paint chip display devices is the ability of the customer to remove the last paint chip of a select color and finish, necessitating the supply of paint chips thereof to be replenished before another prospective customer may view a paint chip corresponding to the previous exhausted supply. Accordingly, it is desirable to display a permanent paint chip, corresponding to each stack of paint chips representative of a paint and color which is non removable and adequately protected from attempted removal by a prospective paint customers.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a paint chip display device which allows for many paint chips full faces to be simultaneously displayed to a prospective paint customer. It is a further object of the invention to provide a paint chip display device which prevents paint chips contained therein from warping or disforming with time. It is a further object of the invention to provide a paint chip display device, which prevents a prospective customer from removing the last paint chip of a select color and finish. It is further objects of the invention to reduce the required floor space of the device by eliminating extensive cabinetry, and surface area of a given paint chip display by allowing the paint chip display to be easily modified to include space for only those paint chips which the displayor presently wishes to display. And, to provide a paint chip display device with a relatively low cost and ease of assembly of the device itself.